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The Northern Dimension (ND) policy was formalized in 1999 with the participation of Norway, Iceland, EU Member States and the Russian Federation.
Geographically the The Northern Dimension is a main EU policy tool for the northernmost parts of Europe. The ND focuses primarily on Northwest Russia, Kaliningrad, the Baltic and the Barents Seas, the Arctic and Sub-Arctic areas.
The Northern Dimension was formalized during the Finnish presidency of the EU Council in 1999. In 2006, Russia, Iceland and Norway became equal members of the ND as part of the adoption of the second ND Framework Document.
The main objectives of the policy are to provide a common framework for the promotion of dialogue and concrete cooperation, strengthen stability and well-being, intensify economic cooperation, promote economic integration, competitiveness and sustainable development in Northern Europe.
The ND operates primarily through partnerships. In 2008, the Partnership on Transport and Logistics was established. Another two partnership, on health as social wellbeing and on environment from before existed.
Finland wants Arctic railway
Timo Lohi, Regional Council of Northern Lapland and Arve Tannvik of Kirkenes Business Association
A new study, evaluating the prospects of an Arctic railway from Rovaniemi in northern Finland to the North-Norway coastal town of Kirkenes, shows a large potential. The estimates conclude that there could be a market for up to 40 daily trains from Finland to the Barents Sea coast.
At present the Finnish railway network ends in Rovaniemi, 500 kilometers from the Arctic coast of Finnmark. However, prospects for the opening of the Northern Sea Route have caught the Arctic attention for many Finns, also the central politicians of Finland who have asked for the Arctic Railway study.
Timo Lohi from the Regional Council of Northern Lapland presented the study in Kirkenes and according to him the need for an Arctic Railway will be more and more apparent in the years to come. There are several mining projects in northern Finland which are about to be realized. In addition there is the extensive wood industry of northern Finland.
Northern Sea Route
Climate estimates show that the waters of the Northern Sea Route will be ice-free and open for commercial traffic by 2030. That makes it very important for Finland to establish a corridor to the Arctic. Container traffic from the Northern Baltic Sea to Asia have increased a lot over the last years, of which large parts is expected to shift to an Arctic Railway if this is established.
Another factor is the planned development of oil and gas resources in the arctic, in which this railway could act as a link between the Arctic and the rest of Europe.
− This will be EU’s most important link to the north, and will be the Arctic corridor between the Baltic Sea and the deep water harbors of the Arctic Sea, says Lohi.
The port of Kirkenes is chosen because of the work which has already been done to establish a deep sea harbor. It is also the western end point of the Northern Sea Routh, and thus an important center for sea traffic in the Arctic.
National attention
The study has already caught national attention in Finland, and it will be presented for the Finnish Ministry for Transport very soon. Finland has started working on their Arctic strategy, which is planned to pass in the Finnish Parliament this year. The Arctic Railway is an important part of this document.
Container traffic, oil and gas, mining, forest industry, fish and tourism will be the most important users of the railway line, and it is estimated that this traffic could accumulate up to 40 trains per day. Cost estimates show that the total projects, from Rovaniemi to Kirkenes, will end up between 1.5 and 1.7 billion EUR. The plan is to complete the line between Rovaniemi and Sodankylä in phase one of the project, with a completion in 2020. The next phase will be to complete the railway line to Kirkenes within 2030.
EU priority
Adviser Oddgeir Danielsen from the Norwegian Barents Secretariat says that the study displays one of the most important infrastructure efforts in the High North, which will connect the transportation networks in the European Union with the Barents Region.
Danielsen believes that it will be important for Finland to raise the issue of the Arctic Railway further from the national level and into the European Union.
− EU has highlighted large infrastructure projects as very important in the years to come, and these plans to establish an Arctic Railway to the Barents Sea will definitely be a very interesting project for the EU, says Danielsen.
